Automatic rough-grinding mechanism for piston-rings



J. .H. CUMMINGS. AUTOMATIC ROUGH GRINDING MECHANISM FOR PISTON RINGS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I6. I920.

Patented Oct 11, 1921.

2 $I'IEETSSHEET 2- HIIIIII M' NIII I. H. CUMMINGS. AUTOMATIC ROUGHGRINDING MECHANISM FOR PISTON BIN-GS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC, I61 I920.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAY HIRAM GUMMIN GS, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC ROUGH-GRINDIN G MECHANISM FOR PISTON-RINGS Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

Application filed December 16, 1920. Serial No. 431,215.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAY HIRAM CUM- MINGS, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Elmira, in the county of Chemung and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticRough-Grinding Mechanism for Piston-Rings, of which the following is aspecification.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a compact andserviceable device for rough grinding piston rings and the like,automatic feeding and holding means being provided for the work duringthe grinding operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an automatic chuckand feed device for piston rings serviceable in connection with therough grinding of rings, the device possessing great strength and durability.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an automaticfeed and chuck for piston rings whereby the rings are successivelypresented and held for grinding on the o posite faces thereof by meansof a double disk grinder, the mechanism being simple in construction andeconomical in manufacture.

With these general objects in View, the invention consists of the novelform, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings, and in whichlike reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views. y

Inthe drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the automatic chuck and feedmechanism,

Fig. 2 is anend elevational view thereof showing the device inconnection with a double disk grinder during the grinding operation,

Fi 3 is a top plan- View thereof including t e showing of the doubledisk grinder with the disk guide,

Fig. 4 is a vertical central sectional view through the clutchlongitudinally of the machine,

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of aportion of the chuck showing a pistonring held in position by the adjustable jaw of the chuck,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the chuck plate detached,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the chuck jaws detached, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the piston rings upon,which themachine is adapted to operate.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, my invention broadly consistsof a magazine 10 for supplying rough piston rings such as 11 to theholding mechanism of a clutch plate 12 for the purpose of grinding theopposite faces or sides of the ring 11 by means of a double disk rinder13. The grinder 13 consists of paraillel emery wheels mounted upon anoperating shaft 14 with a guiding disk 15 for the chuck plate 12positioned between the separated emery wheels designated 13.

The feed magazine 10 is of tubular forma tion, comprising sections 16and 17 semi-circular in cross section and connected together by hinges18 at one side of the magazine and normally maintained closed by asuitable latch 19 at the op osite side of the magazine. A piston orflange 20 is mounted for movement within the bore of the magazine 10 forfeeding the piston rings contained therein toward the opposite or discharge end thereof. Any suitable means for movin the piston 20 towardthe discharge end 0 the magazine 10 may be employed, and it is deemedunnecessary to illustrate the same herein.

A stationary bracket 21 mounted upon a fixed horizontal shaft 22 has ahead or stop 23 at its free end positioned opposite the discharge end 24of the magazine 10 for abutting engagement by a ring when ejected fromthe magazine 10 by the piston 20. The chuck late 12 is journ'aled forrotation upon the s aft 22 by a hub consisting of opposite sections 25and 26 secured together by screws 27. and having acentral chamber 28within the hub. Opposite extensions 25' and 26 of the hub sections 25and 26 respec- .tively are journaled upon the shaft 22 for conveniencein rotating the'chuck upon the said shaft during the operation of thedevice.

A plurality of ring receiving openings 29 are provided in the plate.12,each of said openin s having a chuck jaw 30 slidable in i .a radiaextension 31- of the opening whereby a piston ring 11 is clutched in theopening 29 by means of the .jaw 30 when the jaw is released in themanner hereinafter described. Each jaw 30 has an inwardly extending rod32 passing through a rectangular opening 33 in the late 12 withantifriction rollers 34 upon t e inner free end of the rod 32 within thechamber 28 inwardlX of the inner edge 35 of the plate 12. spring 36surrounds the rod 32 within the opening 33 and bears upon the inner sideof the opening 33 and against a shoulder 37 carried by the rod 32 andwhereby the clutch jaw 30 is normally positioned outwardly for holdingthe piston ring as best illustrated in Fi 5 of the drawings.

double cam 38 secured upon the shaft 22 has a groove 39 in the innerfaceof each portion of the cam adapted for the reception of the wheels 34with the'rod 32 in the space 40 between the sides of the cam 38 when thechuck is revolved upon the shaft 22 around the cam. The operation of theinvention will be apparent from this detail description thereof, thering 11 ejected from the end24 of the magazine 10 passing into and projecting through one of the openings 29 of the plate 12 when such openingcomes in alinement with the bore of the magazine 19 during therevolution of the chuck.

At such times, the head 23 acts as a stop for the ring and a furtherrotation of the chuckplate 12 substantially .5 brings the rollers 34 ofthe chuck jaw 30'outwardly of the exit 41 of the cam 38 permitting thespring 36 to cause the jaw 30 to snap closed upon the ring 11 wherebythe ring is held in the opening 29 during the travel of the plate 12 inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. of the drawings. Theturning of the hbad 26 is preferably timed for stopping the plate 12when the openings 29 pass each quarter positioned so that each opening29 will be positioned for an instant successively in alinement with thebore of the magazine 10 and between the sides 13 of the double diskgrinder 13. The grinder operates. in this manner upon the sides of thering lland the continued turning of the chuck plate 12 substantially 45from the point of grinding, brings the rollers 34 of the'chuck jawwithin the entrance end 42 of the cam 38 so that the cam grooves 39cause the spring 36 to be compressed and the jaw '30 released from thering 11 when the opening 29 is at substantially the bottom of the plate12. The ring 11 upon'beingreleased in this manner is readily removedfrom the chuck. The stopping of the chuck; at every 90 allows time fora. new ring to feed-into the plate opening 29 adj accnt' the tooffthechuck and for the ring that is he d by .the. chuck to be ground bythe grinder 13 as well as to permit the ring at the bottom of the chuckto drop out of its opening 29 upon automatic release by the chuck jaw30.

While the form of the invention herein set forth and described isbelieved to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it isnevertheless to be understood that minor incense ,matic 'jaws carried bythe plate adjacent the openings.

2. A device of the class described comprising a fixed shaft, a hubjournaled thereon, a bracket fixed to the shaft having a head at itsfree end spaced from the periphery of the hub, an outwardly projectingplate carried by the hub having openings adapted for positioningadjacent said head during the rotation of the hub, a radially movablejaw carried by the plate adjacent each of said openings, automaticclosing means for the jaws, and means adapted to automatically retractthe jaws to open position during the rotation of the hub.

3. A device of the class described comprising a fixed shaft, a hubjournaled thereon, a bracket fixed to the shaft having a head at itsfree end spaced from the periphery of the hub, an outwardly projectingplate carried by the hub having openings adapted for positioningadjacent said head during the rotation of the hub, a radially movablejawcarried by the plate adjacent each of said openings, automaticclosing means for the jaws, means adaptedto automatically retract thejaws to open position during the rotation of the hub, a magazinepositioned adjacent said .head at the opposite side of the plate, andoperable means within the magazine adapted for the successive dischargeof piston rings from the magazine into the openings of the plate and incontact with said head during the operation of the device. I 4. Anautomatic chuck and feed for piston rings comprising in combination witha double disk grinder, an annular late havmg ring receiving openings an'mounted for turning with said openings between the sides of thegrinder, a normally closed clutch jaw' for each of said openings, aguide disk for the plate between the sides of thegrinder, and automaticretracting means for said jaws adapted for operation subsequently to thegrinding o eration.

5. An automatic chuck an feed for piston rings comprisin in combinationwith a double disk grin er, an annular plate havmg rin receiving openinand'mounted for turning with said opemn s between the sides of thegrinder, a normal y closed clutch plate j ournaled upon the shaft with acentral chamber within which the cam is positioned,

and operative connecting means between said jaws and cam whereby thejaws are adapted for retraction subsequent to each grinding operationand are released for automatic closing at a predetermined point in therotation of the plate.

6. An automatic chuck and feed for piston rings comprisin in combinationwith a double disk grinc er, an annular plate having ring receivingopenings and mounted for turning with said openings between the sides ofthe grinder, a normally closed, clutch jaw for each of said openings, aguide disk for the plate between the sides of the grinder, a stationaryshaft, a cam fixed upon said shaft, hub members secured to said platejournaled upon the shaft with 'a central chamber within which the cam ispositioned, operative connecting means between said jaWs and cam wherebythe jaws are adapted for retraction subsequent to each grindingoperation and are released for automatic closing at a predeterminedpoint in the rotation of the plate,'and a magazine adjacent the plateadapted for feeding piston rings successively into said openings priorto the closing of said jaws.

In testimon whereof I affix m signature.

AY HIRAM CU MINGS.

